SECTION 6 : FIGHTING ON HORSE

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I am the noble weapon called lance:
I am always used at the beginning of the battle. And he who looks
at me with my flag Will lose all his courage because of fear:
And if I do my duty right away, Then I don't have to worry about poleax, sword or dagger.

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I don't have to worry about poleax, sword or dagger.

I carry my lance like the tooth of a wild boar, To deflect yours and enter with mine.

Like the tooth of a wild boar I carry my lance: Deflect and hit is always my habit.

So that you won't have an advantage on me with your lance,
I'll bring my lance to the same side as yours.

Because I have a spear, I come to you with the woman's guard:
And I'm quite sure I'll deflect and hit.

To damage you or your horse I'll do this throw And then I'll visit you with my sword.

In running away I have no other defense But turning around and hit you.

I'll do the contrary to your guard: And I'll hit your horse with no problems.

I will deflect your lance with my sword: Then I'll hit you with a strike or a thrust.

So that you won't deflect my lance, I will hold it under my left arm.

I approach you with half lance And you'll be slower in
deflecting my lance. I believe I'll hit your horse without failing:
And you'll see my technique come to pass as follows.

So that you wont engage your sword with me, I carry my lance low to hit your horse.

Carrying the sword this way allows me to do four techniques,
I can hit with strikes and thrusts without failing;
I can also throw from the horse and grab the sword:
Rarely have I failed in these things.

I make no comparison with these two guards:
He who knows better, his opinion will win.
And he who can watch for feigns, Will do those four techniques well.

I gladly put this tip in your throat For the third master who shows this guard.

This is an equal engaging without advantages:
He who knows cunning arts, should start using them.

For the first master who is on guard with his sword,I gave you this hit on the head.

After engaging your sword I pushed it aside, And with mine I gave you a big hit,
And I could have hit you with the tip: The defense you have would not have stopped me.

You will lose your sword with this grip Or you will go to the ground defenseless.

So that my sword is not taken away I did the contrary this time;
And what you wanted to do to me With the contrary I will do to you.

You will be thrown from the horse to the ground, Then I'll know what to do with you.

If I'm going to be unsaddled, I can't do any other defense than this hit.

I want to use cuts and thrusts in my defense,
If my sword has not been taken from me,
And if I haven't been thrown from the horse
I will hit your face with the pommel without failing.

To avoid you hitting my face with the pommel Keeping my sword steady I will avoid your hit.

The way I grabbed you coming from behind, I will throw you from the horse, this I do believe.

You wanted to throw me from the horse But with this contrary I will throw you to the ground.

I want to lift your leg with the stirrup, And you'll get thrown to the ground.

You wanted to throw me from the horse: But with this contrary you will be thrown.

If I want to throw your horse to the ground,
I'll have my horse put his chest on the neck of yours;
I won't let your horse bit go 'till you'll go to the ground with him;
This is a good technique for one with the harness, because no weapon can hurt him.

I try to grab the reins from your hands And pull them over the head of your horse:
And after the reins are pulled over his head I'll lead you to another country.

Even if Roland and Publicano came to me with a lance,
I would wait for them this way with a chiavarina or a club;
I will deflect the lance and hit their head, And I will start from this guard.

With my chiavarina I'll cut your head From the guard of the master which is so fast.

I hit you with the foot of the chiavarina
And I still keep a sharper point at the other end.

This master tied a rope to his saddle, And to the foot of his lance
To throw it around the neck of his enemy, And drag him to the ground.

Credits:

Literal Translation of Fiore de Liberi's printed words by Hermes Michelini, 2001.
Pictures grabbed from original 'Flos Duellatorum' sketches and formatted for this
web site by Mich Shire. We are happy to present these pages as another
study guide for students of the Western Martial Arts community at large. Enjoy.